Change-speed mechanism for mechanically-propelled vehicles



Oct.'l 144 1924. 1,511,910

FF. H. RoYcE l -CHANGE SPEED MCHANISM MECHANIGALLY PROPELLED VEHICLS Filed May 14 1924 og his @Homey Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT oFFlcE.

FREDERICK HENRY ROYCE, OF DERBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 ROLLS ROYCE LIMITED, OF DERBY, ENGLAND.

CHANGE-SPEED MECHANISM FOR MECHANICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

Application filed May 14, 1924. Serial No. 713,281.

T0 r/,ZZ 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I. FREDERICK HEvRxy ROYCE. residing at Derby, England, a sub ject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Change-Speed Mechanism for Mechanicallv-Propelled `Vehicles. of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the change speed gear mechanism of mechanically propelled vehicles, and has for its object to construct the hand operated gear conjtrolling lever sol that its' position or angle of inclination can `be varied and adjusted to suit different arrangements of the bodies and drivers seats.

The accompanying drawings show an example of my invention, Fig. l being an elevation with parts in section of the-end of the gear operating shaft with part of the control lever, and Fig. 2 an end elevation viewed from the right of Fig. 1 with certain parts removed. y

In said drawings the reference letter ades ignates the gear operating shaft having a tapered portion a1 and a further portion provided with axial serrations (z2 formed thereon and a terminal threaded end a3. b designates the gear control lever having a boss b1 through which extends a. tapered bore corresponding to the tapered portion n.1 of the gear operating shaft a and having formed on its outer face recesses b2.

c designates a washer, sleeve, or similar member provided with internal axial serrations c1 corresponding to the serrations a2 on the shaft a and having formed on its face which is in contact with the lever boss b1 dogs or jaws c2 adapted to tit in or engage the recesses b2 of said leve-r boss. Y

The axial serrations a? in the embodiment illustrated are twenty-six in number and the recesses 722 five in number as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The number of the teeth or serrations a2 on the shaft, the internal circumference of the sleeve or washer c and the number of dogs or projections c2 and recesses b2 on the faces of the sleeve and lever boss respectively are selected to have no common factors so as to give-a large number of possible positions.

(Z designates a clamping nut having its outer end castellated and screwed on to the l through to receive a locking split Cottery which also traverses corresponding holes-in the nut. f. i

The serrations shown on Fig. 1 of the drawings at c are tool marks .forming no part of the invention. j

With the parts constructed as above dcscribed the lever can be fitted on and moved along the shaft a until its tapered portion is in contact with the portion al of the shaft, and said lever can then be placed in the desired angular position in relation to the shaft. The sleeve c can then be passed over the shaft end and the projections or dogs 02 on the face of the sleeve caused to engage the recesses b2' on the boss b1 ofthe lever, the

axial teeth or serrations c1 of the sleevevalso engaging the axial teeth or serrations a2 on the shaft, thus securely locating the lever on the shaft in the. desired position, If the dogs or projections c2 will not engage 'the recesses b2 on the lever in the selecte-d position, by taking off the sleeve and replacing it after axially shifting it forward or backward to the extent of one or more serrations c1, the ultimate position ofthe lever b can be secured within 2.77 degrees of the required position which needless tofsay is negligible. The parts are then secured by screwing up the clamping nut cl. y l

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is j y Mechanism comprising a rotary shaft having a conical portion adjacent one end,

and also having a cylindrical portion forniing a continuation of the small end of the conical,v portion and provided with external serrations; a control lever for said shaft yhaving a boss formed with a conical axial opening to receive the conical shaft portion, whereby said lever may be turned into the desired angular position with relation to said shaft and then shifted laterally toward the larger end of theI conical shaftr portion so as to bring the wall of its opening into frictional engagement with the surface of said conical shaft portion to clamp the two together; and a locking sleeve fitting rigidly connect said sleeve to said hess7 one of on the serrated portion of the shaft and which parte is formed With n. set oi? lateral provided with internal serrations to engage projections and the other Wtih complemen- 10 the shaft serrations and thereby prevent tary recesses to receive the same.

u rotation' of the sleeve, the adjacent faces In Witness Whereo1 I have signed this specothe lever boss and the locking sleeve c011- ification. stituting companion interlocking parts to FREDERICK HENRY ROYCE. 

